DirecTV 4S [Boeing BSS]
Official name DIRECTV 4S
Alternative name DirecTV 4S
Cospar ID 2001-052A
Norad ID 26985
Launch date 2001-11-27
Launch site FRGUI
Launch vehicle Ariane-44LP H10-3
Country/Organization USA
Type application Communication (Direct Broadcasting)
Operator DirecTV
RCS size LARGE
Decay date ON ORBIT
Period (min) 1450.74
Inclination (deg) 4.29
Perigee (km) 36053
Apogee (km) 36092
Eccentricity 0.000540578002633585
Mean motion (revs. per day) 0.992596881591464
Semi-Major axis (km) 42450.635
Raan (deg) 80.8275
Arg of perigee (deg) 18.0257
Shape Box + 2 Pan
Mass (kg) 4300
Height (m) 2.7
Width (m) 3.6
Depth (m) 3.6
Span (m^2) 26.2
Lifetime 15 years
Contractors Boeing
Equipment 48 Ku-band transponders
Propulsion R-4D, 4 × XIPS-13 ion engines
Configuration BSS-601HP
Power 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries

DirecTV, Inc. ordered DirecTV-4S, another Boeing BSS-601HP satellite, in December 1999. It is the fifth Boeing satellite to be built for DirecTV. It was successfully launched on an Ariane-44LP H10-3 on 26 November 2001 and entered service on 27 December 2001.

DirecTV-4S is the first spacecraft in the DirecTV fleet to use highly focused spot beam technology, which enables DirecTV to expand its local channel offerings in metropolitan markets. DirecTV-4S also further strengthens DirecTV's in-orbit redundancy.

DirecTV-4S operates at the Ku-band frequency and carries two payloads: spot beams for local channels, and a national beam payload. The spot beam payload uses a total of 38 traveling wave-tube amplifiers (TWTAs), powered by a combination of 30 watt, 45 watt, 65 watt, and 88 watt TWTAs. The national beam payload carries two active transponders with further capability for two active high power and six active low power transponders.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
DIRECTV 4S 2001-052A 2001-11-27 FRGUI Ariane-44LP H10-3